Frustration
by Illusions of Insanity
Summary: [Sequel to Irritation] Here we go again. You would think that fate was done messing with me at this point. However, it seems that it just LOVES throwing me and my redheaded rival together for some odd reason. I guess I'm just lucky that way... (Stubborn/Tsundere!Lyra)
1. Here We Go Again

**Full Story Summary:**

**[Sequel to Irritation] Here we go again. You would think that fate was done messing with me at this point. However, it seems that it just LOVES throwing me and my redheaded rival together for some odd reason. (Stubborn/Tsundere!Lyra) Rated: T Gerne: Romance/Humor (SoulSilver)**

* * *

The bitter mountain winds took a bite of exposed skin as a lonesome figure walked the harsh crag road. They had spent a long day training, and even started training in the dead of night. Doing such things were never such a great idea, but they felt as if they had no choice. They couldn't catch a wink of sleep that night.

Not after that terrible nightmare.

The figure looked up at the cloud-shrouded moon and let out a sigh. Nocturnal training was helpful to their battling, but not much else. They had done this so many times before, but things never seemed to end. The fact was, they were growing so tired of being part of some grand destiny. They wished that they could just stop everything and be normal for even a fraction of a day.

But life doesn't work like that.

Suddenly, the clouds above lifted the veil for a single heartbeat. Milky white ribbons raced for the earth and struck the lone figure with their light. White light aimed a spotlight down on such a mysterious figure, exposing them for who they truly were.

Brunette hair shimmered under the beams of moonlight as the girl looked up at the skies. Her hazel eyes narrowed in rejection before closing entirely. She had no desire to remain out here at such a late hour. She decided right there and then that she would suck it up and head for the Pokémon Center across the mountain. She grabbed a Pokéball from her waist and hurled it high.

A large blue creature with black legs and arms appeared beside her, looking at her with curiosity shining in his blue eyes. A blue ear twitched as his partner motioned to the winding road ahead.

"Change of plans, Lu. We're heading to the Pokémon Center." The Pokémon nodded and took a step closer to the tall brunette. With a unified nod, the duo raced off towards the thin line of trees.

Any bystanders would have been awed as the duo took a strong leap and landed in the branches of these mountain pines. They didn't stop there, though. They then raced along this verdant highway with nimble feet and focused eyes. Before long, the clouds overhead shielded the moon once again, obscuring the duo until only black forms raced through the darkness.

No one could have known that they were here.

* * *

**Silver's Viewpoint**

* * *

The grass below my feet was stained with white as the deadly chill of night set in. The winds howled around me, yelling at me with a unified chorus of hate. The bleak night was suffocating me as I walked along this worn-out path within the mountain. Training had been cut short by the icy rains of the afternoon, making me rush for cover in the mountain. Luckily, the storm had lifted during the evening. However, the ice left behind left the proof of the harsh winter rains that had assaulted this quiet local.

"C-Crap," I muttered out a complaint as I pulled my jacket closer to my shivering body. It was times like this that I longed for a winter coat. However, shopping was a dreaded thing and I wouldn't dare set foot in any store around here. The chance of recognition was far too great to risk it. "This wind will be the death of me."

_"Oh, you've handled worse, Silvy."_ A soft muzzle rubbed against my chilled cheek, bringing a bit of warmth to my systems. _"You used to frolic out there in three feet deep snowdrifts and make little snow angels in that white powder."_ The memory flashed in my mind for a fraction of a second before being absorbed into obscurity.

"Yeah, but that was when I was five, Sneasel." The Sharp Claw Pokémon on my back simply flashed me a grin as I continued to walk on. "I'm far too old for such things, and I had an actual _coat_ back then, smart-alack." The black Pokémon simply let out a chuckle as I squinted through the bitter winds and darkness.

_"Actually, you were only three years old."_ I shot him a glare as he simply smiled at me. _"You were such a cute little thing back then. You always had a smile on your face and a song on your mind,"_ The bitter memories resurfaced as I fought to keep them down. I didn't need to see such sour things anymore. _"Things were always so simple."_

"Those times are gone and you know it." I turned away from the rambler and focused on the path ahead. "Right now, I'm going to go back to that Pokémon Center and—"

A sudden snap of tree branches snapped us away from our conversation and straight to the dense line of trees next to the road. Sneasel let out a protective hiss and leaped in front of me, ready to battle an intruder if necessary. I readied myself for battle, one hand on my belt and the other tightened into a fist. A sudden surge of adrenaline sent my mind swimming.

"Show yourself!" My words echoed through the black veil as Sneasel simply growled and barked out a challenge. For a single second, I thought that I had imagined the sound. But suddenly, two black forms jumped out of the pines and launched themselves at us. I dug my feet into the dirt with grimace as the slightly shorter and thicker figure brought its hands to its side. A sudden blast of blue energy grew in its palms before it spun around and flung it at Sneasel. Before I could shout out a warning, my trusted Pokémon leaped away and dodged with ease.

The energy slammed into the ground and exploded into a harsh cloud of dirt and broken grass that swallowed me whole. Before I could get out, the second figure leaped inside the cloud and started to hurl punch after punch my way. I ended up blocking the attacks with my arms and cringing as the figure continued to try to assault me. With a few quick moments of footwork and quick blocks, I managed to dodge their attacks.

_"Silver!"_ Sneasel's yell rang in my ears as I held off my own attacker. With this sudden attack, the possibilities of a Rocket attack swarmed my thoughts. _"Silver, it's—"_ His warning was cut off by another blast, leaving me alone with my own opponent.

"Well then, Rocket," The words spat out with a harsh hatred I hadn't felt in a long time. "I think it's time to end this little dance of ours." I felt a smirk on my face as I launched a punch of my own. That satisfaction died quickly as they ducked out of the way and landed a heck of a punch in my jaw. I found myself falling backwards with a bolt of pain racing through my face and meeting the ground with a ringing of my ears.

The attacker wasted no time leaping on me and holding me down. I let out a moan of pain as the black figure swam in the brown cloud of dirt. A sharp pressure held me down as they grabbed my arms. I mentally struggled to regain the control of my body as they slammed my wrists above my head and held me hostage. The sound of a battle still reached my ears as I fought to get a solid look at this assailant.

The cloud of dirt settled around us and left only a backdrop of tar around us. I grimace with the pain and inner rage as they just sat there, lifting their head high. The clouds overhead momentarily broke and the moonlight rained down on the mountain path. The figure holding me down proved to be a figure covered with a midnight blue pea coat with a pair of worn jeans. Dark black boots adorned their legs from the knees down and dug into my shins as I struggled to breathe.

The figure shook their head and brunette locks danced with the sudden gust of wind. My heart raced as another gasp for air proved fruitless. That face before me was so familiar, I felt like I might choke. The _girl_ holding me down simply narrowed her powerful hazels at my face before letting them widen in shock.

"_Silver_?!" The voice that left her lips only sealed the facts in the envelope. My heart started to slam against my ribcage as my head swam once again. Only, I knew that this time it wasn't caused by an impact. This time, it was caused by simply seeing her face again.

"L-Lyra Soul!" I struggled under her as I finally found my voice again. I slammed my eyes shut to shield them from such a sight and instead focused on escaping her grasp. "What are you doing?!"

"Well," The grip on my wrists relaxed ever so slightly before she gave them a quick squeeze. "I was trying to defend myself from a strange figure on the road, but apparently, it was only you." I let out a growl as she shifted above me.

"You attacked me first! How is that self-defense?!" My voice squealed with both embarrassment and frustration as my escape attempts ended in vain. "You're stinkin' doing that...that _thing_ you do again!" The weight lifted slightly as she seemed to think about this. I took advantage of this small opening and shoved her off of me.

Lyra Soul's rear kissed the hard dirt below as her eyes widened in shock. I simply sat up and brushed myself off with angry puffs of smoke that rose above my head. The brunette across from me simply blinked with confusion before shaking it off.

"Sorry!" A good-natured apology made me think she was a bit more amused about the situation than I was. "Better safe than sorry, remember?" I shot her a glare at her often-repeated excuse. She simply laughed at my face and rose to her feet. My eyes locked on to the shimmering boots on her thin legs before rising up to her face. A pale hand stretched out towards me, offering aid in returning to my full height.

I gave the exposed skin a hard glare before roughly grabbing it with my own black gloves. My rival grinned as she pulled me up to my feet and inadvertently pull me straight into her. My heart slammed into my chest yet again as she simply stared at me with wide eyes. The sound of my heartbeat flooded my ears and my face began to burn as she simply started to smile at me.

"Well, looks like someone lost weight again, Silvy." Did I say she was smiling? Yeah, that was obviously a smirk now. I let out a hot huff of anger as I pushed away. She simply laughed as we staggered backwards. The sound of footsteps against frosted grass made me look over my shoulder. I soon found Sneasel and a strange blue Pokémon walking towards us with knowing smiles. I just folded my arms and turned away.

"Oh!" The blue Pokémon walked over to Lyra with a determined face as she rested a hand on his shoulder. "Silver! This is Rilu!" I turned back to the blue Pokémon and suddenly found the short Pokémon in every place I looked, projected above this strange body. "He evolved into a Lucario!" She looked down to her Pokémon and smiled. "Isn't that right, Lu?"

The _'Lucario'_ let out a cheerful bark at her voice. Sneasel rushed back up to his perch and peeked over my shoulder once again. I just found myself staring at my rival with curious eyes. _Of all the places to meet my rival..._ A small smile found a place on my face as I watched her pet her partner and give it a few coos. _I didn't expect to see her at this mountain again._

"So," The sound of my rival's voice pulled me out of my thoughts once again. I found my face burning out of embarrassment as she flashed me a grin. "Where are you headed to so late at night?"

I swallowed down the swirl in my gut and focused on my brunette rival before me. "Where do you think, genius? I'm heading to the Pokémon Center for the night." I gave my jacket a final brush as Sneasel watched on. "You just _had_ to jump me and punch me, didn't you?" I narrowed my eyes as she gave me a look of sharp pain. "You always seem to land a hit on me when we meet."

"I'm sorry!" She took a step forward as she looked at my chin. "Does it hurt? I'm so sorry! I really thought that you were—" She broke off abruptly before shaking her head and giving me a forced smile. "I know! I'll make it up to you."

A skeptical raise of my eyebrows followed suit. "How do you expect to do that?" My rival shifted in her place before taking her yellow bag—which I did _not_ see when she was pounding me—off of her shoulder and then digging through the main pocket. I watched for a while until she _pulled out a full-sized bike_. My jaw promptly dropped open at this strange sight.

"We can ride my bike to the Center!" She smiled a genuine smile as she mounted her vibrant red bike. "It's one of the fastest models available, and I'm certain that you wouldn't want to walk to the Pokémon Center." I gave her a hard glare as our Pokémon simply waited for a decision.

"You expect me to ride on _that_, a bike with only one seat." She simply nodded and waited on the black seat with narrowed eyes. _On one hand, it's a free ride to the Center. On the other hand..._ I shuddered as I realized the dreaded complications of having only _one_ seat on a bike. "You can't be serious."

She just shrugged and flashed me a knowing grin. "You can walk in the cold out here, without a coat...or you can ride with me and get there within minutes." I narrowed my eyes as she narrowed her own, issuing a silent challenge. "Your choice."

_"Take the deal, Silver!"_ The Sneasel on my shoulder was not being helpful right now. _"I'm tired and cold and really hungry and _please_ take her up on her offer! Just ignore your little rivalry for once and ride the stinkin' bike!"_ I let out a long sigh before taking a step forward.

"Fine, I'll ride." Lyra's face lit up before she returned her Lucario to his Pokéball. "But just this once." I shot her a glare as she simply waited on her bike. "And you had better keep quiet about this whole thing, got it?"

She simply laughed as I tried to manuever myself behind her on the small—_far_ too small—seat. "Let me guess, this is just for tonight? Yeah, I'm pretty familiar with that." I ended nearly falling off as she put her hands on the handlebars. "Oh, and you're going to want to hold on."

"I am _not_ holding you." The words came out a bit harsher than I expected as my cheeks warmed up. "That is where I draw the line, Lyra." Sneasel seemed to let out a small sound of disapproval as my rival laughed it off.

"Suit yourself, but you'll change your mind when we get going." Before I could question what she meant by that, she dropped the only support and pedaled away. I found a yell escaping my mouth as the world around me became a drab, blue blur. Sneasel let out a cheer on my shoulder as Lyra Soul laughed like a madwoman.

_I'm going to fall off. I am going to fall off! Oh Lugia, why is this thing so fast?!_ I found myself grabbing my rival with a hiss of frustration as we seemed to speed through the mountain. My heart throbbed in my chest to the point that I feared she could feel it through her back. Despite the fact that my ego was sustaining a serious blow, I was surviving this speeding deathtrap.

A sharp laugh escaped the wind as my rival leaned backwards. "Told you!" I just spat out some sort of insult that was stolen by the gushing gale. My rival's back was pressing against my chest and causing a massive discomfort inside of me by this strange change of events.

_I have never been more sure that she was going to be the death of me._

* * *

**Author's Note: Hello there and welcome to _"Frustration"_, the sequel to my series _"Irr__itation"_! I'm so excited to get started on the second half to the story of Lyra and Silver. If you're looking for some SoulSilver fluff with humor, mishaps and messed-up cliches, you're in the right place! I hope that you'll enjoy this series just as much—if not a bit more—than _"Irritation"_.**

**This time, we start with Silver's viewpoint! It seems that all is not well on Mt. Moon this winter evening. Why's that, you ask? Well, Lyra Soul is around, that's why! Whenever our little brunette is around, trouble and excitement seems only a blink away. Things are guaranteed to be quite the interesting adventure. Just so you know, this story takes place around a year or so after _"Irritation"_, during a break between Lyra's completion of the Gyms and her training. Silver, as we saw in the very end of _"Irritation"—_and _Pokémon HeartGold _and_ SoulSilver—_followed his rival to the region of Kanto.**

**How will things turn out this time around? Well, stay tuned, dear readers and you will soon find out!**


	2. Just Press Repeat

**Part I: Just Press Repeat**

* * *

As the world around us became a blur, the only thing I was aware of was the warmth of my rival against my back, the searing heat in my cheeks and the painful throb of my heart as it tried to burst out of my chest. Despite being away from him for around a few months, I was right back to that dizzying nausea of affection that I had somehow gained over the course of my journey.

I mean, I wasn't complaining about it per say, I was just really embarrassed about falling like this.

Instead of bringing my mind back to the obvious feelings in my chest about this redhead behind me, I decided to focus on maneuvering my Mach Bike in such a fashion that would _not_ crash us into a tree and kill us. I was even going to ignore the hot breath down my neck and the tight wrap of his arms around my stomach. I was going to act completely rational and ignore every little warm thought about this boy.

...Yeah, that was an exercise in futility.

By the time we reached the Pokémon Center in the very eastern end of Mt. Moon, I was struggling to breathe in a normal rhythm. I was more than eager to get off of this bike and head inside, but due to the unexpected passenger, I had to wait for Silver to dismount.

Oh, he got off the bike, alright. He literally stumbled off the bike and nearly toppled us over as he tried to leap of my bike. I let out a squeal of shock as he stumbled and swayed on his unsteady knees. I quickly followed suit, hopping off my beloved bike and stuffing it back where it came from. By the time I had finished this simple task, Silver was already shivering and complaining.

"W-Why is it so cold?" His billowing breath made me painfully aware of his lack of a coat. "It's only autumn, for Lugia's sake! We shouldn't be having snow and ice and freezing temperatures at this time of year."

"Kanto's weather is a tad different than Johto's, Silv." I lifted my eyes to the top of Mt. Moon's peak and envisioned the great Mt. Silver instead of this bleak tip on the skyline. "Thanks to Mt. Silver, the snows from the mountain head towards the Kanto region. Therefore, it gets colder a lot quicker."

"Well," Silver's sharp eyes were piercing my core as he snarled. "I'm already sick of it. I should have left the region when I had the chance." Sneasel, resting on his shoulder as usual, seemed quite unhappy with this comment.

"Well, can't be helped now, redhead." I slowly headed towards the warm glow of yellow light coming from the glass doors of the Pokémon Center. My mind flashed back to the events of the previous year, of the time that a Pokémon Center held me and my rival captive for a long two days. I shook the memory away as I felt a warmth in my chest. "You'll just have to suffer."

The door opened faster than I thought it would, making me lift my chin slightly and focus on the heat rushing out of the building. Silver was impatiently waiting at my heels, eager to head inside and escape this midnight chill. I took a deep breath and headed inside without another thought.

I couldn't keep on thinking of the past.

"Finally," The relief in his voice made a small smile sneak onto my face. "I was _this_ close to getting frostbite." I just rolled my eyes as he walked ahead of me, heading forward to the lone counter in the room of grey tiles. Just then, Nurse Joy peeked out from under her counter.

She then let out an enraged sound at the sight of my rival.

"_Crap_!" Silver scrambled backwards and hid behind me, grabbing my arms and using me as a human shield. I just stood there, dumbfounded as I tried to understand this turn of events. Sneasel let out a sharp squeak of fear as the woman in deadly high heels rushed over with a tight frown.

"Just what are you doing here?!" Nurse Joy had the most threatening face I had ever seen on a woman in charge of healing Pokémon. "I told you to never come back to this Pokémon Center!" It was then that she stormed over to my rival and grabbed him by his jacket. I let out a gasp as Silver squirmed in her grasp.

"_Ow_!" Silver was desperately trying to escape as my heart seemed to try to rush out of my chest to help him. "Let me go!" The woman let out a bitter laugh and a string of angry words that couldn't even understand before dragging him off towards the door.

"_Wait_!" I grabbed the back of Nurse Joy's pink mini-dress and managed to steal her attention. The woman gave me a hard look before letting out a sputter of recognition. I just shook off her frantic apologies and focused on the withering boy in her grip. "What are you doing to him?"

"Well," Nurse Joy let out an irritated huff before narrowing her eyes at my rival. "This no-good, dirty scoundrel waltzed in here and just started screaming at me and insulting nearly the second he walked in here!" I slowly turned my glare to Silver as he gave me a nervous smile. "I told him to stay away from this Pokémon Center, but he just comes right back!"

"Silver," My voice literally was a whine of disappointment. After all of that work to become kinder, he goes and insults Nurse Joy? That really just makes me feel as if it was all for nothing. "What did you do?"

"She came out here and called me a _'little girl'_!" He let out a growl as he gave a half-hearted squirm. "How could I just stand there and take it when she was insulting me like that!"

"Insult?!" Nurse Joy was basically growling at him at this point. "You called me a _'worthless, pathetic ditz who can't even see what's in front of her nose'_!" I cringed at the repeated words as Silver did the same. "Mistaking you for a girl does not warrant such cruelty!" It was then that Nurse Joy opened the door and started to swing my rival back, trying to throw him out.

"_Stop_!" I held my hands up with an abrupt yell, making the woman stop in her tracks. I looked between their shocked faces for a few heartbeats before clearing my throat and standing tall. _You are a Champion! You can handle this!_ "Silver is with me." My rival's namesake eyes widened as the woman gave me a baffled look. "If you throw him out, you kick me out as well."

Nurse Joy stopped at this and seemed to think hard about this. Any Nurse Joy who would kick out the young Champion would surely hear from the masses about such an act. Considering my high popularity, she would certainly get quite the backlash from doing so. I felt a little bad for using my status against her, but I wasn't about to let her throw my rival out like that.

After what felt like centuries, the pink-haired woman gently placed my rival down on his feet and let his jacket go. Silver looked over his shoulder for a quick second before rushing back behind me. Nurse Joy let out a disappointed sigh before shrugging her shoulder and stepping back to the counter. She picked up a small keyring with a lonesome key before hurling the object towards me.

I didn't bat an eye at this sudden attack, I just grabbed the metal ring out of the air and twirled it around my finger. Her grey eyes narrowed bitterly at us as she headed towards the door to the medical wing of the Pokémon Center. She paused in front of the door and looked over her shoulder at us.

"If you care so much about him, that scourge is _your_ charge. Anything he does, _you_ will be held responsible for."

She then walked away and left us alone in the cold Pokémon Center's lobby.

* * *

**Author's Note: Oh Silver, always getting himself into trouble. Seems that he _still_ hates being called a girl. Poor guy, as if looking like one in G/S/C wasn't bad enough. Well, it's an unfortunate side-effect of having long hair.**

**On another note, this Nurse Joy is _nothing_ like the one in Blackthorn. Pity, I grew quite fond of that hopeless romantic.**


	3. Invisible Walls

**Part II: Invisible Walls**

* * *

I had never been more relieved to be alone in a room with my rival.

This room in Mt. Moon's Pokémon Center certainly wasn't as large as the one we had shared in Blackthorn. The plain blue walls were accented by the dark hardwoods, pretty much the standard fare in terms of design. There was a glass coffeetable, a white rug in the center of the room and a lonesome bed in the far corner. But, I wasn't really concerned if this would pass as a five-star hotel or not. All that mattered to me was that I was away from that insane Nurse Joy and somewhere with a warm bed. That was pretty much the only thing on my mind at this point.

That, and the unmistakeable blush on my rival's cheeks.

I pretty much stopped dead in my tracks as Lyra let out a sigh and locked the door behind us. Knowing her, the blush could mean one of two things. First off, she could be utterly flustered as usual and just trying to keep her cool. The other but far more logical reason was that she was about to explode.

Let's just say that I pray it's not the second one.

"So, Marshmallow-Head," I paused for a moment as she slipped her bag off her shoulder and plopped it beside the door. Lyra wasn't really paying much attention, even to the point of having her back turned. "Just why are you in Mt. Moon, anyway?"

She peeked over her shoulder, which gave me enough motivation to continue asking. "I mean, I know you already have all of your badges and everything. Besides that, the last time I saw you was around_—_" I paused and tried to recall just how long it had been since our paths crossed.

"_—_Six months." I didn't even fell surprised that my rival could beat me to the punch on such a matter. Believe it or not, Lyra Soul had one impressive memory for people. She could literally see a face once in broad daylight and place that person a whole week later _in the pitch-black of an abandoned cottage_. Well, at least with me.

"Right," I nodded. "You and I haven't really seen much of each other for a while." Lyra started unbuttoning her coat and headed over to an ignored coat-rack. "I was starting to think that you headed off for Johto again." The hiss from her made me simply head over to the small sofa and fall back with a grin. Sneasel of course didn't particularly care for such sudden movements, and gave me a light nip on my ear.

It didn't _really_ hurt; I only squeaked because he surprised me.

"I'm hoping to train here for a while yet before I have to head back to the grind." The flash of anger in her eyes didn't really faze me, not with the amount of times she's called me and ranted about Ethan or Lance. "Over here, I'm a respected Trainer with talent and a tough attitude. Back home," She paused for a minute to hurl the coat on a hook and turn towards me, flashing me with a look of irritation. "I'm the Champion, an Idol, a Hero, a Chosen One and ten-billion other titles that I'm starting to hate."

I raised an eyebrow as I found her wearing a pleather jacket commonly seen on the Biker sort. Truthfully, it didn't look to bad on her. In fact, it was a nice change from the normal. However, the fact that she changed clothes was kinda...off.

"What's up with the getup?" I leaned back and folded my hands behind my head as my rival just deadpanned. "Trying out for the Spades down there in Fuchsia? Hate to break it to ya', but they don't accept walk-ins." The snicker from Sneasel didn't even faze me, and neither did the glare on her face.

"I'm _trying_ not to look like a ten-year-old." A roll of the eyes and suddenly she was angrily walking over to this cream couch with a thunk with every step. I _cringed_ and scooted over just before she flung herself beside me and groaned. She thrashed for a moment before turning around and folding her arms across her chest.

"For some reason, people think the outfit means that I'm some child!" I found myself leaning away slightly to wait for her to calm down. "Well, I'm tired of it!" She motioned to her jacket and then back to her chin with a frown. "From now on, I'm dressing how _I_ want to, _not_ how my Public Relations tells me to!"

"Wait," I felt like I was hit by a ton of bricks. I turned my head with a frown as she just puffed out her cheeks. "Your _Public Relations_? You mean like what actresses have?" She just nodded before combing her hair with her fingers.

"Yeah, I got them when I became Champion. I told you that it's not just about being the strongest Trainer in your region." She stopped for a moment, unclipped the leading Pokéball on her belt and rolled it in her palm with a downcast expression. "Things would be so simple if it was just that."

A pained feeling rose in my chest as I watched her rub her thumb over her Pokéball. I remembered how she acted back when we met in Blackthorn, already irritated with her new position but still very much the same pesky girl I had met at every turn. But now, only a year later, it was almost like she was a different person.

And that was somehow _physically hurting_ me.

_"Psst, Silv!"_ Sneasel peered out from his perch with narrowed eyes as I just rubbed my arm awkwardly. _"She seems a bit down right now,"_ He paused as to watch her before grinning. _"Remember that whole promise you made? The one about being a better person?"_ I just nodded absently as Lyra seemed to tighten her grip. _"Well, now's the time to prove it!"_

_"Do something to cheer her up, idiot!"_

* * *

_Author's Note: I am _so_ sorry that this to__ok so long. You would not believe the writer's block I had when trying to continue this and "The Pains of Being in Charge". It's crazy because I could write shorter things and even started writing some mini-series thing about nightmares before I could come back and finish this chapter. I'm sorry if you're mad about the wait, seeing as I'm usually a faster updater. I was just struggling with this one._

_However, let's focus on the story. It seems that our favorite little brunette isn't doing so hot right about now. Life as a Champion is obviously starting to mess with her, huh? Poor thing. Perhaps things can turn out better, if only Silver can manage some social skills...If only..._


	4. Remember?

**Part III: Remember?**

* * *

I couldn't believe I even said that.

My eyes shifted from those silver traps to his smirking Sneasel before looking away entirely. I was frustrated, that much was certain. I never realized that by taking those first steps out of town, I would be signing up for a lifetime of service to everything and everyone. I had always thought that going on an adventure was supposed to be this wonderful thing that brought you so much freedom. I had never realized that walking out of New Bark Town, I was stepping up to a lifelong connection to a great bird of fire and rebirth. I never realized that by this bond I would be the weapon used against Team Rocket, forced to pound any traces of them I found. I never knew that I would defeat the Elite Four only to become a social icon and shining example for all Trainers; that I had to go to weekly meetings that ran for five hours straight, attend parties with people I've never met and expect to be a source of entertainment and that I would constantly be under watch by Lance, who would become the human equivalent of Ho-Oh and his rules. When I left, I expected to become free; I wanted to be free of the babying, free of Ethan's protecting and the general worry. Instead, what I received was a golden bird cage and an eternal leash to a legendary Pokémon. Instead, I was _trapped_.

I was trapped in expectation, rules, boundaries and destinies.

I suddenly felt awkward in my black jacket, and so I scooted away from my rival. _You're such an idiot, Lyra. _My mind wasted no time in scolding me. _Why is it that whenever you're around this redhead, you're always such a wreck? If it's not one thing with you, it's another. _I narrowed my eyes and glared at the top of my boots, ignoring the shifting beside me. _You're supposed to be strong, remember? How can you be strong when you're falling apart like this?!_

"Hey."

I snapped my head up just in time to see my rival brush some of his bangs aside, making my chest tighten with what I hoped was anxiety. He took a deep breath before pointing to my right hand. "You remember what you said, don't you?" I just titled my head in confusion as the Sneasel on my rival's shoulder poked his cheek and seemed to chirp in his ear. Silver swatted the Sharp Claw Pokémon before growling and trying again. "You know, what you told me at the Pokémon Center."

I just stared at the redhead for a moment, utterly confused by whatever he was trying to say. I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to think about what he was saying. _What I told him at the Pokémon Center? Just what in the world is that supposed to mean—_ Then, the memories flashed back again. Memories of a jump through the clouds, a night of awkward feelings and a failed raid by Team Rocket made my head spin as I shut my eyes and turned away. I knew that night well; a little too well. But I opened my eyes anyway and gave my redheaded rival a nod, hoping to appease him.

"Well," he paused, "I remember that you told me that it doesn't matter what _destiny_ they plan out for you, or what that stupid Championship title throws your way. You told me that you're just you, and that nothing can change that." I gave him a curious glance to see his namesake eyes on fire, burning through my face until I felt heat rising to my cheeks and my gaze unable to turn away. "Not some stupid Public Relations department, not some Elite Four snobs and _certainly_ not some overgrown Pidgey."

Surprisingly, I felt a bitter smile tug at my face at his words. Silver wasn't exactly perfect as a motivational speaker, or a speaker in general, but somehow his words still made a bit of a lift in my chest. Maybe it was from that stupid fluttering in my chest and that dumb..._feeling_ I had towards him. Maybe it was just from the fact that Silver had tried to be helpful for once. Whatever it is, it made me somehow feel a bit better. It wasn't enough to erase my problem from my mind, but it was enough to remind me of the spunk I had merely a year ago. Had I really thrown that spirit away?

I narrowed my eyes as that bitter grin flashed into a full smirk.

No, I was not going to let some man in a cape run my life. I may be a Champion, with an image to uphold and some sort of example to give to other Trainers, but I was Lyra Soul above it all. I was going to stand up to that man just as I had that day in Ecruteak, when I had the nerve to challenge the mighty Ho-Oh and take a fall as if it were nothing. No, I was _not_ going to sit here and mope, nightmares or not.

It's about time I got that courage back.

"You know what, Silv." I stood up with what felt like a fire in my chest and the eyes of my rival fixated on my black jacket, burning through the shiny surface and seeping into my skin. I gave him a determined glance and watched as that stern face melted into one more akin to a pleasant surprise. "You are absolutely right! Who cares about what Lance says, right?" He gave me a bit of a stare before nodding vigorously, making his bangs slam into his eyes. He let out a bit of a childish hiss of pain as his hair stabbed his eyes, but I ignored it and continued to bask in this warm feeling. "I'm Lyra Soul, and I'm not going to let some great bird of fire or some cape-wearing dragon master tell me what I can and can't do!"

A chuckle escaped my rival's lips as he pushed his hair out of his eyes, his left eye shut with a wince. "That's what I thought." His words came out a bit cold, but I could tell by the way his metallic eye gleamed that he was being a bit more pleasant than usual. "I won't have my rival suddenly becoming weak on me." Sneasel, once so quiet the observer, slipped out from behind his shoulder and gave me a grin, causing me to just chuckle and roll my eyes at the duo. My rival let out a baffled sound before turning and finding Sneasel's cheer. The redhead gave him a halfhearted glare before standing up and brushing himself off, his eyes never leaving my face.

"So..." His voice dropped a bit as he took a cautious step to my side, his eyes suddenly gaining a flighty look about them. "How are we going to do this all again, Lyra?" Surprise lifted in my mind at his mentioning of _only_ my first name, but I hid the feeling in my thoughts. My rival, ignorant to the importance of his words, just motioned to the single bed in the room before turning to me and frowning. "Yet again, there's one bed and two of us." His eyes shut for a minute as he let out a sigh before opening once again and showing a distinct lack of interest. "Last time, this was _far_ too complicated." Sneasel let out a squeak of protest as his partner shifted his weight to his left leg and gave me a searching glare. "So, are we going to argue over who gets it like we did last time?"

My cheeks burned as I recalled our bitter spat over the rights to the room's features back in Blackthorn. I shook my head as the image of Silver chasing me around with his jacket reared its smelly head, bringing the horrendous stench back to my thoughts. I was _not_ going through that again! Instead, I hastily waved him off and walked over to the lonesome couch. I let out a groan and flopped down, my hand falling to the belt of Pokémon on my waist. My eyes fluttered shut only seconds before an alarming image flashed in my mind, jolting them open. I let out a sharp breath, hoping that the motion went unnoticed. Then I sat up as casual as possible, my hazel eyes flickering back to my motionless rival.

"Look, last time, we were barely over our little fistfight in the Radio Tower." A spark of self-satisfaction lit in my chest as my rival instinctively flinched and looked away, embarrassed by the memory of my skillful pounding of his rear, no doubt. I continued on, unfazed by the image of my stubborn fight and Silver's flushed cheeks. "Therefore, we acted pretty much like children." I waved my hand to the bed and smirked as my redheaded rival gave me a reluctant glance. A bit of familiarity flowed in my veins, giving me the spirit to try and assume my usual speech pattern. "Seeing as I'm a mighty Champion, I'll let you have the bed this time."

His shoulders fell suddenly at my words. Instead of thanking me and racing off to get some sleep as I had assumed he would, Silver gave me a confused look with a grimace. "Are you serious?" His heavy black boots thunked against the floor as he took a slight step towards me. I ignored the lift of his eyebrows as I leaned my head back and tried to relax, hoping that I didn't seem unusual. His bright eyes narrowed and seemed to ready a set of daggers as Sneasel just watched on from his perch. "That would mean sleeping on the couch."

_Not really._ I felt a bitterness rise in my thoughts as I watched him take a second step closer, his red hair falling over his eyes and dangling just centimeters from his eyes as he tilted his head down to stare at me better. _Trust me, rival, I'm not getting a wink of sleep tonight. You'll be doing me a favor by claiming that bed over there._ These words never left my mind as he gave me a sharp look that seemed almost like he was scolding me.

"Why would Lyra Soul, my stubborn and frankly prideful rival _ever_ give up the chance to sleep in an actual bed?" I let out a grunt at the word _'prideful'_, but I otherwise remained silent as he searched my face for any signs of a smirk. I fought to keep my heartrate normal as his gaze seemed to burn through my face again, leaving me wishing that I had landed face-first on the cushions of this couch. "It's not like you to give up something so valuable."

"Yes, it is." I persisted the point with a glare of my own, hoping to shake his burning eyes away. "As Champion of Johto and owner of the eight badges of Kanto, I have a duty as an elite Trainer to give those less fortunate than me any aid I can." I nearly chuckled as my rival's gaze shifted from curiosity to fury, his teeth already letting out an inhuman snarl. I fought the amusement down as he jumped back and stood tall.

"Who are you talking about, pest?" I silently cheered as his voice slipped back to a familiar, angry tone I had so often heard last year. His eyes were narrow with frustration now, his pride bruised just as I had hoped. "I'll have you know that I already own _four_ of the eight badges of Kanto!" I felt a bit of interest at this. I lifted my head a bit from the embrace of the couch's arm and gave him a lift of an eyebrow, hoping to mask my enjoyment of his stubbornness.

"Really now?" His piercing eyes never left mine as I waved my scarred hand and rolled my eyes. "What's the matter, Silv? Did all of that stalking ruin your thieving skills?" His eyes suddenly grew wide as he took a step back, shoulders hiked and his arms tense. I smirked at the sight before continuing on with my teasing. "I guess the security around the badges would be a bit tighter after you _stole_ the eight Johto badges. News from the regions must travel pretty fast, what with how close they are."

His stance became tight and defensive as I watched, sitting up as I smirked at him in triumph. "I'll have you know, rival, I _earned_ these!" My smirk died as he bit his lip and pulled out a smudged badge case, the black cover covered in his fingerprints. He opened it with a grumble before proudly thrusting the object towards me, flashing me with four metal badges, finely polished and gleaming with their full colors. His eyes became filled with pride as he lifted his chin. "See those little puppies? Each one was League-official and the result of an easy victory over the Gym Leader!"

I gave the objects a closer look, trying to find the symbol that proved his boast. If my time as a Champion taught me anything, it was that League badges had a certain watermark to them that was activated by a machine in every Gym. Just before the leader hands the winning symbol over, they give it a quick swipe over a little device hidden away on their hip. Once the two objects pass each other, a gleaming symbol of the League activates on the badge's surface, shimmering when placed under any sort of light. My heart did a quick leap as I found the Kanto League's symbol shining on each of the items, proving Silver's claim.

I lifted my gaze to give him an impressed look, only to find him giving me the most pride-filled grin I had ever seen from my rival—and that was saying something. I opened my mouth to praise him for _actually_ taking the challenge, but he quickly stashed his winnings away and stood just a bit taller. "See?" His vibrant metallic eyes gleamed with that pride as he placed his hands on his hips. Sneasel imitated his partner as best he could from his lookout, giving me quite the humorous image. "I've earned these badges! Therefore, I'm just as skilled as you are!"

I was just about to mention something about the lack of around _twelve_ other legal badges, but his own talking cut me off before I could even take a breath. "Also, that means that you cannot force your little _'I'm better than you'_ offers on me." His eyes shut with a grin as he lifted his hands from his hips and placed them behind his head, feeling might good about himself at this point. I gave him a hard look before shaking my head and deciding that there was no way I was going to get a word in about his victory. Instead, I rolled over to face the back of the couch.

"Why don't you let your Pokémon out, Silver?" My voice was muffled by the overstuffed cushions, but I knew that he would be able to hear me. "You can have your little spot ready and your Pokémon can find their own place to sleep for the night." I could hear a grunt from my rival, but I knew it was just from my changing the subject. I strained my ears only to witness the powerful burst of red light that resulted in the release of his five other Pokémon. I grinned as I heard them rush about, checking out the room.

Unfortunately for me, I was soon discovered in my little nook.

Before I had a chance to process what was going on, two thick, furry arms wrapped around my ribs and pulled me away from my spot. I let out a sharp squeak of shock as I found an intense warmth slamming into my back only seconds before something soft brushed against my cheeks. I strained my vision to find myself face-first in a sea of yellow fur, suffocating by both a pressure holding me in place and the heat racing to slip through my skin.

"Typhlosion!" My rival's voice came out as a very panicked gurgle that was almost impossible to understand. "Put her down right now! What has gotten into you?!" I slammed my eyes shut and silently prayed that I would _not_ suffocate to death in another one of Typhlosion's hugs. _Oh Ho-Oh, why are you such a big lover, eh? I guess Silver's manner of training has completely been erased from your mind by now, huh?_ Just as these thoughts rumbled in my mind, that feeling of suffocation melted away. I cautiously opened my eyes to come face-to-face with Typhlosion, a big grin overtaking his normally serious features.

I opened my mouth to greet the Volcano Pokémon, only to be assaulted by a warm, sticky tongue. I let out an involuntary sound of disgust as saliva stuck to my left cheek and my hair, dripping down in fire-heated globs. Silver seemed not too pleased by this, either, for he let out a few harsh yells and started tugging at my jacket. I shook my head in a frenzy, trying to escape the grip of either my rival or his starter before I found myself crashing to the floor in a slobbery heap beside my rival.

"Ew," I moaned as I lifted a hand to my face. My fingers quickly found the semi-transparent liquid sticking to my skin as I pulled away, creating thin strings of Typhlosion spit. I stuck out my tongue in my moment of grossness before giving the towering Fire Type a grin. "Hey, big guy. Looks like at least someone in this room is happy to see me."

"Ack." I looked to my right to find Silver rubbing a bit of second-hand spit off of his own face with his sleeve, Sneasel laughing the whole time. "That's the one thing that will never cease to be gross." His eyes were warm despite his words, and I found myself thinking that perhaps I wasn't the only victim of Typhlosion's affection. My redheaded rival lifted his eyes to my face before giving me an amused apology, the boy nearly laughing at the sight of my spit-coated face.

_"Lyra!"_ I looked back to Typhlosion to find his still smiling, his crimson eyes bright and filled with pleasure. _"It's great to see you again!" _His stocky build slammed against the floor as he lowered himself on all four paws and rumbled over to us. I reached out and gave him a pat on the head as he shut his eyes, his stump of a tail wagging the whole time. _"I didn't think I was going to see you until Silver here gathered up the rest of Kanto's badges,"_ he murmured. A soft smile found a place on my face as I rubbed his ears.

"Typhlosion," my rival whined. I gave him a sideways glance to find his cheeks red with embarrassment. "Please don't eat my rival. I kinda need to beat her still." Despite his scolding, I could tell his discomfort was from the simple fact that he actually _knew_ what his Pokémon was saying. As ignorant as he may try and be about his Pokémon, I knew very well that he could decipher their not so complex sounds. Such a skill resulted from a close bond to your Pokémon, and I knew he wanted to still seem tough and distant to his team. Unluckily for him, I caught him talking to Sneasel in Mt. Moon a few months ago. Therefore, his act was now officially over.

"He's not going to eat me." I rolled my eyes before checking on the other members of Silver's team. Not surprisingly, they were all lined up and staring at us with hopeful eyes. I gave a bit of a chuckle when I found Gengar giving us something similar to the pout of a Growlithe. With a quick shift of my position to sit up straight, I held my arms out wide and gave them a smile. "Get over here, you big softies."

I was then ambushed by nearly all of Silver's team, knocking me over and sending me laughing on the hardwood floors. Silver and Sneasel simply watched on with a mix of shock and humor as I just laughed and tried to greet each and every one of my rival's team before they trampled me. Typhlosion let out a rumble as he rubbed against my side and Gengar simply enjoyed messing with my face with his freezing paws. As for Magneton, he floated a bit around me and let out a few clangs of happiness, knowing that touching me would result in giving me quite a few powerful shocks. Alakazam pretended not to care as he stood close, trying to seem above such things as a Pokémon-pile greeting. Crobat, probably one of the most cuddle-loving member of Silver's team, rubbed his face against my cheeks with high-pitched squeaks before landing on my head and stepping on my skull lightly. I just laughed at their efforts and gave them each a bit of my attention.

In that moment, I had a feeling that this might just be another crazy night in the Pokémon Center.

* * *

_Author's Note: I'm back! So sorry for the wait. As I've said before on other writings, I took a few months off as a sort of hiatus. However, now I'm back and ready to write! I hope that this nicely-sized update will make up for my absence._

_Aw, look! Silver's trying to be nice for once! What's this? He's also challenged the Gyms properly, without stealing the badges? Isn't this a pleasant surprise! Who would have thought that Silver would try to do things right for once, instead of being a dashing—I mean, misguided thief? ;D Looks like his rival is starting to rub off on him..._


End file.
